Means for propelling ships



Ma an, 1933. KNAUS 1,911,827

MEANS FOR PROPELLING SHIPS Filed July 7, 1932 Patented May 30, 1933 ANTON KNAUS, or vr-nivive, AUSTRIA MEANS non Peoria-Lune snirs Application filed July 7, 1932, Serial No. 621,330, and Austria July 25, 15 331.

I have filed an application in Austria on the 25th July, 1931.

The invention relates to ships or boats, so-called roller boats, which are provided on both sides of the hull or body With paddle wheels by means of which they are lifted out of the water and propelled, the movement of the boat or ship being similar to that of a road vehicle, inasmuch as the pad- 10 die wheels roll upon the surface of the water.

There are already known roller boats in which the paddle orroller wheels are made hollow in order to facilitate the lifting of the boats out of the water. Constructions are also known in which the paddle wheels are provided upon the periphery with feathered blades which upon striking the water produce a lifting action. In both known constructions the blades are used both for propelling the ship or boat and for lifting same out of the water.

The present invention has for its object to provide a paddle wheel having separate means for effecting the lifting and the propelling actions. According to the invention the improved paddle wheel is provided with arcuate blades acting at the same time as spokes, which roll with their convex faces upon the water and thus effect the lifting of the boat. The paddle wheels are also provided with slightly curved vane members arranged upon the periphery of the wheel, which serve only for the propulsion of the boat.

The accompanying drawing illustrates by way of example one construction embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a roller boat in its position 0 of rest, partly submerged in the water.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the boat in its lifted position during propulsion.

Fig. 3 is a plan of the boat.

Fig. l is an elevation of the improved 4r paddle wheel.

Fig. 5 is a cross section through the lifting blade, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing in detail a lifting blade and a propelling vane.

As may be seen from Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the paddle wheels comprise arcuate blades B which serve'at the same time as spokes and are so arranged as to roll with their convex faces upon the water, and thus effect the lifting-of the vessel out of the water. The blades B are provided at one or at both sides with edge portions extending substantially in vertical planes. Upon the periphery of the paddle wheel and preferably at-the extremities of the blades B, there are provided vanes D which are slightly curved and serve for propelling the boat forwards, the concave faces'of' the vanes being directed oppositely to the direction of rotation. The vanes D may be mounted in the rim of the paddle wheel so as to be freely movable, or they may be connected together by means of a common ring. In the latter case the vanes may be folded down by the forward movement of the ring or they may be raised by the opposite movement of the ring, for the purpose of regulating the speed of the boat.

I claim:

1. A boat, comprising in combination: a hull; paddle wheels arranged on both sides of the hull, said paddle wheels comprising in combination arcuate blades constituting spokes and adapted to lift the boat out of the water and to maintain the boat in the lifted position,and slightly curved vanes arranged upon the periphery of the wheels 89 and adapted to propel the ship forwards, substantially as described.

2. A boat, comprising in combination: a hull; paddle wheels arranged on both sides r of the hull, said paddle wheels comprising in combination arcuate blades serving as spokes and provided with edge portions extending in vertical planes, said blades being adapted to lift'the boat out of the water and to roll upon the water with their con- 0 vex faces, and slightly curved vanes arranged upon the periphery of the wheels, said vanes serving for propelling the boat forward, substantially as described.

3. A boat, comprising in combination: a hull; paddle wheels arranged on both sides of the hull, said paddle wheels comprising in combination: arcuate blades formed as spokes and adapted to lift the boat out of the water and to maintain same in the lifted position Whilst rolling upon the water,

and vanes mounted upon the end of the said blades, said vanes being slightly curved and adapted to drive the boat forward, substantially as described.

4. A boat, comprising in combination: a hull; paddle Wheels arranged on both sides of the hull, said paddle wheels comprising in combination: spoke-shaped lifting blades 19 and propelling vanes arranged upon the periphery of the Wheel, said propelling vanes being pivotally mounted and connected by a 7 common controlling ring, substantially as* described.

15 5. A boat comprising in combination:' a hull;- paddle Wheels arranged on both sides of the hull, said paddle Wheels comprising in combination lifting blades extending from the main axis to the periphery and '28 adapted to lift the boat out of the Water and to roll with their convex faces upon the Water, said blades being formed with vertical edge portions; and driving vanes pivotally mounted upon the outer ends of the '25 blade, said driving vanes being slightly curved and connected by means of a common control ring, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Signed at Vienna, Austria, this 25th day 6 of June, 1932.

ANTON KNAUS. 

